From Rain Comes Warmth
by Sheikah Ninja
Summary: Its after the war is over and everyone is trying to readjust to normal life. Some are having an easier time than others. And others are having a hard time expressing what they need to say. (Male sheik)


**Ok so I know it has been a very long time since I have posted anything and I figured I would give it a try just to give myself something to do while at work. Please let me know what you think. Again I do not own anything to do with this story and am only writing it for my own pleasure.**

The rain fell hard upon the green clad man. He had been out in the rain for hours. Soaked to the bone, he trudged up the last of the stairs to the village. Before he entered he looked back over his shoulder for his horse, Epona. She stood under the tree at the bottom, dozing, tired after their long journey here. The ground below was dry for the tree was a dense one. It showed no signs of letting the rain touch the ground beneath it so he knew she would be safe there.

The village was quiet and still but what did he expect at this time of day with the weather what it was? The rain had been falling for days now and showed no signs of letting up. The ground was soft beneath his feet, giving way with a soft _squish_ with each step he took. But each step drew him closer to his goal, closer to warmth, light and comfort. He walked through the main part of the village now, heading for the windmill. As strange as it was for this time of night, the door to the shop was still unlocked. _I guess they don't fear monsters any more. Otherwise why would they leave it unlocked at this time of night?_ He walked past the counter and out the door in the back, down the stairs and climbed the ladder that went up to the windmill. He turned and looked out over Kakariko village; he noticed that not a single light burned in any of the windows. In the distance he could see the light from Castle Town burning bright.

He turned away from the view and placed his hand on the rock wall, keeping it there as he walked. Soon his hand passed through the wall, telling him this is where he needed to go. He walked through the illusion that made the wall seem continuous into a short tunnel. Following the tunnel it ended in a small clearing. The clearing had a pond with some trees to provide water for the horse that munched on the grass, unaffected by the rain. Next to the pond was a small house, with smoke rolling from the chimney. Unlike the houses in the village, the windows of this house were lit and shone brightly in the dark.

A small smile crept across his face. _Of course he would be awake. He loves to listen to the rain._ Walking across the clearing he was stopped by the horse. Its black mane and body were soaked but it didn't seem to mind. The horse nuzzled his pockets, looking for any treat that may be hiding there. Patting its neck Link gently pushed it away. "Not tonight big guy. Maybe in the morning I'll have something for you." The horse just snorted and walked away, returning to munching on the grass.

Link continued his trudge to the door and raised his hand to knock. He hesitated though. Would he be happy to see him? Or would he turn him away, back into the cold wet night. Before he had a chance to decide the door opened, revealing stark red eyes. He heard what sounded to be a combination of a sigh and a chuckle escape the other before the door opened all the way.

Link lowered his hand to his side and looked at the other man. Sheik stood in the doorway wearing tan pants and a dark blue shirt, much looser than his usual outfit. The cowl however was still in place, covering most of his face leaving only his eyes exposed. One of them was hidden behind a curtain of sandy blond hair but the other shown bright in the night, the slight crinkle around it indicating that he was smiling at the man in front of him.

"Well are you going to come in or just stand there and let all of the heat out of my house?" The sudden noise in the quiet night startled Link. He smiled shyly and followed Sheik into the house, closing the door behind him. "Stay there and I will bring you a towel and something dry to wear," Sheik called back to him as he disappeared further into the house.

Link stood in the entry hall, rubbing his hands on his arms in an attempt to get warm. He started to shiver as feeling started to return to his numb body. He looked around him and noticed how neat everything was. There was no mud in the hall so either Sheik hadn't been outside or he kept his house that clean. His boots were sitting next to the door and his cloak hung on a hook above them. Down the hall he could see what looked like a kitchen but couldn't tell for sure without leaving his current position. Since he didn't want to track water through the house, he stayed where he was.

Sheik soon returned with a fluffy towel and handed it to Link. "Just leave your wet cloths here. There are some dry things for you to put on hanging on a chair in the kitchen. When you're dressed you can come join me in the living room by the fire." As he turned to walk away, Link grabbed his arm, stopping him. Sheik looked back at him and covered the hand on his arm with his own, seeing in Link's eyes what he wanted to say. "Don't worry about it. You know you are always welcome here, even if it is the middle of the night." A smile shone in his eyes. "Now get dried off before I have to take care of a sick Hero instead of a healthy one," he said as he patted Link's hand and walked down the hall out to where the fire was burning.

Link smiled at the retreating back, shaking his head at Sheik's words. He should have known that Sheik would not mind him turning up at his door so late in the evening. Quickly he stripped off his tunic and mail shirt underneath, signature hat coming off with them. Next came the gauntlets followed by his undershirt. Boots and socks were next but Link hesitated when he went to pull off his soaked pants and underwear. He looked down the hall to make sure that Sheik hadn't decided to come back for something then quickly stripped them off and toweled himself dry. He wrapped the towel around his waist before he walked towards the kitchen. A loose pair of pants hung draped over the chair and under them was white shirt. As Link pulled the cloths on it was obvious that neither of these things belonged to Sheik as they fit Link well. Pulling on the socks that accompanied the clothes, he walked back to his pile of wet cloths to drop the equally soaked towel with them. Running his hands through his hair in an attempted to tame it, he took a shuddering breath and walked down the hall and through the kitchen to join Sheik by the fire.

Sheik looked up as Link walked into the room. His face wasn't as blue as it had been before and the tremors of cold that had shaken him had subsided for the most part. Waving his hand at the chair near the fire, he invited Link to join him. "You seem to have thawed a little bit. Would you like something warm to drink Hero?"

Link collapsed into the offered chair before he nodded his head. "You know I don't like it when you call me that. I am no hero, I am just Link."

Sheik shook his head and chuckled as he rose from his own seat and walked to the kitchen. "Whatever you say Hero." He was in the kitchen and out of earshot before Link could formulate a comeback. Opening a couple cupboards he produced a mug and a small container of a dark brown powder. Taking a couple scoops from the container, he placed them in the mug before returning the container to its spot. Picking up the kettle he had removed from the fire earlier, he poured some of the hot water into the mug. He set the kettle down and gave the mug a quick stir before returning to the fire. He handed Link the steaming cup and sat down in his previous seat. Link eyed the cup for a minute before he took a sip. A content sigh escaped his lips as he smiled at the warm drink.

"I haven't had this in a long time. I think the last time I did was after the water Temple. If I remember right you left some with my pack with instructions on how to make it. It drove the chill out much quicker than anything else I could have done."

Sheik chuckled and shook his head at the raised eyebrow that Link gave him. "It's nothing Hero. Now finish that and go to bed, you look dead on your feet."

Link glared at him over the top of his mug. "How many times have I told you not to call me that? Just call me Link. I would like to think that we are friends now that the fighting is over."

Sheik just chuckled at him and collected his cup. Taking it to the kitchen he placed it in the sink before returning to Link. "Now get up and go to bed. We can talk more in the morning when you aren't half dead." Link stood and grasped the arm of the chair for support. Swaying he tried to take a step but his knees gave out and he collapsed against Sheik. Sheik staggered under the sudden weight and started to lower Link back into his seat when something caught his attention; there was blood staining the chair he had been sitting in. He lowered Link into the seat and squatted in front of him. Looking at his face he could see that Link was pale and unconscious. He tried to wake Link up to ask him what happened but was unable to. Sheik decided Link's safety outweighed his privacy and pulled his shirt over his head. Leaning him forward, Sheik noticed a short wound on his back below his left shoulder and close to the middle of his back. The wound was no more than a couple inches long but seemed to be fairly deep. It looked angry and red and seemed to be fresh but had not been treated properly. Quickly Sheik stood and headed to the bathroom to retrieve some red potion and a couple clean cloths.

Going into the kitchen, he poured some leftover warm water into a bowl and went back to Link. He set all of his supplies on the floor before gently lowering Link down as well. He dipped the cloths in the clean water and started to clean the wound. After it was cleaned, Sheik tipped a small amount of red potion into the wound. Setting the bottle down he went back to the bathroom to retrieve some clean bandages. By the time he returned, the red potion had already started to heal the wound. _Good that means that there isn't an infection set in._ He sat Link up and rested him against the chair as he started to wrap the bandage around the wound. It wouldn't be needed for long, just long enough to keep anything out of the wound while it finished healing. Standing, he lifted Link to his feet and slung an arm over his shoulder. _He is too light. He hasn't been eating enough._ Half dragging him, Sheik took him to his own room and laid him down on the bed. Pulling the blankets up over Link, he turned and left, closing the door behind him.

Leaning his head against the wall, Sheik breathed a deep sigh. Righting himself and quieting the tremors that shook his hands, he returned to his front room and picked up the bloody cloths and dirty water. Taking both to the kitchen, he cleaned them in the sink before picking up Link's wet cloths. He rang each garment out in the sink before taking them into the front room. He laid them over a stand next to the fire to finish drying. After making himself another cup of tea, he settled back into the seat he had occupied before. Glancing at the chair Link had been seated in he sighed. _I am gonna have to clean that somehow. But it can wait till the morning._ He took a sip from his tea and started thinking about the time that he had left the tea for Link. It was true that he had left some for him after the water temple. What Link didn't know was how worried he had been when he had seen the young Hero stumble from the lake, bloody and broken. He had figured that the water temple would be one of the hardest things the hero was to face in his quest, aside from the burial grounds of the Sheikah people. He had felt an evil presence lingering in the temple for several years but had no way to know what it would be. Thinking about that evil thing that lurked there during Ganon's reign still sent shivers down his spine, even though he did not know what it was. Link had never told him and he had never pressed for the one time that he had brought it up Link's face had turned white and he just shook his head and said it was nothing. He didn't want to push him but knew it was more than nothing.

Sheik had placed himself in the old tree above the entrance to the temple, waiting for Link to reappear. When he did, he dragged himself from the water and collapsed unconscious on the ground. Navi, his fairy, flitted around him trying to wake him with no success. Sheik jumped to the ground and approached the young Hero. Kneeling beside him he felt for a pulse with sweaty hands, worried he would not find one. When he did he heaved a sigh of relief. The Hero of Time was still alive. He turned to Navi and asked her what had happened. She just shivered and said that he had fought something evil in that place, much worse than the monster that was holding the Sage of Water hostage.

Knowing he would get no more from her, he called for his own horse, Svaðilfari, and hoisted Link onto the animal. Climbing on behind him, he maneuvered Svaðilfari away from the lake towards a more secluded area where Link could rest and heal with little worry of beasts that stalk the land. As he left the lake a heavy rain began to fall, signaling the end of the reign of terror lake Hylia had been held in.

When they reached a small clearing in some woods close by, Sheik halted Svaðilfari. Sliding from the large horse's back he pulled Link off the horse and laid him on the ground. Next, he busied himself with collecting fuel for a fire. Once the fire was burning he left Link lying next to it and mounted Svaðilfari again. Returning to the lake, he gathered Link's equipment and tracked down his horse, Epona. With her in tow and Link's equipment retrieved he returned to the fire. Untacking Epona he spread a spare blanket over her, protecting her as much as he could from the rain. He then turned his attention to Link.

He was soaked through and still shivering, despite having been close to the fire for close to an hour. Thinking of what to do he decided that the best thing would be to remove Link's outer layer of clothes so he would warm faster. Settling to this he propped Link up against his own saddle and began to remove his outer layer. The hat and tunic were the first to come off and laid next to the fire to dry. Next was the mail shirt that he wore under. He left the Hero's long-sleeved undershirt on for some privacy for Link. Sheik removed Link's boots but balked at removing his pants. He decided to leave them on as wet as they were so the Hero would not wonder why he did not have pants on when he came to.

Pulling Link's blanket from his pack he wrapped it around the other man. Link was shivering at this point and tossing and turning, troubled by something that Sheik could not help him with. Sheik put more logs on the fire and returned to Link's side, wondering what troubled him so much. Touching the back of his hand to Link's forehead he was relieved to find no fever. He began to rise and turn to leave when something caught his wrist. Looking back, he saw that blue eyes now looked at him from under damp blonde hair. Those eyes usually so bright and welcoming were cloudy and Sheik could tell he was disoriented and unsure of what was going on.

"You are safe now Hero. Close your eyes and rest and when you wake you will feel better."

Link shook his head slowly. "Stay. Don't want to be alone." The tenor of his voice worried Sheik. He sounded like a small child that was worried that their mother would disappear if she left his sight. Knowing Link would not rest if he left Sheik nodded his head. "Let me get a few things from my horse and I will be back." Link slowly released his arm, worried that the other young man would leave him if he did so. Sheik stood and went to his horse. From the bags he retrieved a small pouch and cup. He also set a small pan out to collect water as he gathered the rest of the things he wanted; something dry to sit on, though were they were was currently covered by dense trees preventing water from penetrating to the ground, a blanket for himself and some dried fruit and meat for a small meal. Returning to the fire he saw that Link was now sitting upright, leaned up against his saddle. Sheik set the things he had retrieved down, aside from the food which he took a small amount for himself and handed the rest to Link. Turning away again he returned to his horse, pulling the saddle from his back and letting him wonder around, finding food where he would. Retrieving the pot that was now full of water he returned to the fire, setting it on the warm.

Settling himself on the blanket he had spread on the ground he drew his own around him. The night was cool and the rain made the air damp and the wind chilled him. He heard shuffling next to him and turned to see Link had moved over to sit next to him on the blanket, his own drawn around his shoulders and his knees drawn up to his chest. He rested his chin on them and stared into the fire, watching the sparks crack dance.

Sheik returned his own gaze to the fire. The glow was warm and welcoming but the night around them was damp and cold. The pot of water and started to steam so Sheik removed it from next to the fire. He picked up the cup and pouch and placed a small amount of the powder into the cup. Next, he poured warm water over the powder and watched it dissolve. Turning he pressed it to Link's hands, feeling the chill that still lingered in them. "Here, drink. This will help drive the chill out." Numbly Link took the cup from him and sipped the warm tea. Surprised he looked down at the cup in his hands and then over at Sheik. "This is good. What is it?"

"Just something that Impa taught me to make for the nights that were cold and wet. Finish that cup it will help" Sheik looked over at Link to see him sipping on the tea, savoring the warmth it brought him.

They continued to sit there in silence, hearing only the rain around them and the soft shuffling of the horses. "Thank you." Sheik looked over at Link to see him speaking to his cup, his head down. "For looking after me and taking care of me".

"Think nothing of it Hero. You are important and must survive, even if that means you need a little help now and then." Link's expression fell a little at those words. "Hero" he mumbled. "I'm not a very good hero if every time I need to be rescued."

"We all need rescued every now and then. Now finish that so you can rest." Sheik turned his gaze back to the fire, watching the sparks fly off into the night. After a little while Sheik felt a weight come to rest on his shoulder. He looked over and realized that Link had scooted closer, touching is arm and leg with his own and rested his head on Sheik's shoulder. It hadn't taken him long to fall asleep or maybe it was the falling asleep that had cause his head to come to rest on his shoulder. Whatever the reason Sheik could see that Link was asleep. Plucking the cup from Link's hands he set it on the ground next to them. He then carefully drew his own blanket away from the shoulder that Link rested on and drew it about both of them, making sure that Link was warm enough as he slept.

The sky slowly grew brighter as the rain eased. As the sun was coming over the horizon the rain stopped altogether. Link woke with his head resting on a blanket and wrapped up in his own. A small pouch sat next to him on the ground, the only indication that Sheik had been there the night before. Rising, he picked it up and clutched it to his chest, feeling alone once again.


End file.
